Adjusting to Winter Weather

Adjusting to Winter Weather
Posted on 11/16/2017

It seems that winter weather has appeared a little earlier this year in the Western Wisconsin. Even though there currently is no snow on the ground, we’ve already had a few bus routes impacted by slippery conditions this year. With winter sports revving up and the annual deer hunt beginning this weekend, we can be sure that snow, ice, and freezing conditions are on the way.

During this time of the year, school district administrators and transportation supervisors end up becoming amateur meteorologists, as a very important part of our job is to stay up-to-date with the impending weather patterns that could require us to delay or cancel school.  As we all understand that predicting the weather can sometimes seem like a pretty inexact science, we do the best that we can to balance our first priority of keeping students and staff members safe with maintaining the schedule and routines that our families count on.

On a typical scenario when a cancellation or delay is possible, conversations between school administrators and transportation officials often start the evening prior to the storm and usually pick up again shortly after 4:00 a.m.  Depending on the type of incoming weather, conversations might include discussions with city and county road crews, and sometimes they even involve local law enforcement.

If snow, ice, or drifting are the the major issues, the focus of our decisions are primarily based on road conditions.  If temperature is the main concern, we pay close attention to anticipated wind chill factors.  Either way, we do the best that we can to make good decisions on behalf of all of the stakeholders that we serve, and, typically, we are able to communicate a decision well before 6:30 a.m.

If the decision to delay or cancel school is made, the announcement is made through a variety of media. In addition to calling the local radio and television stations, we also post the information on Twitter, Facebook, and the school district’s website. Families who have self-registered in the school district’s database will also receive phone, text, and email messages based on the information that has been provided.

With a school district that covers a relatively large geographic area with various elevations and quality of roads, there can be a great variance in traveling conditions. While we do the best that we can to make good weather-related decisions, it is still up to parents and guardians to decide what is best for their children.

Should school families or community stakeholders have any questions, concerns, or suggestions about inclement weather cancellations or anything else in our school district, I invite you to visit me at the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue, or contact me at 715-232-1642. More information about our schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com), and I regularly post school-related information on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/menomonie.schools)